George w



(No Model.)

G. W. GOFRAN.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING STONE SLABS.

Patented June 1, 1897.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE XV. OOFRAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO L.

HILGARTNER & SONS, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING STONE SLABS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,875, dated June 1,1897.

Application filed December 29, 1896. serial No. 617,376. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. COFRAN, residing at Baltimore city, in theState of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Machine for MoldingStone Slabs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its purpose to provide a machine adapted to dressthe edge of a slab having a partial or complete circular form; and itconsists in a machine of this character embodying the peculiarcombination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be firstdescribed in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which--Figure 1 is a side elevation of a moldingmachine having my improvementsapplied. Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe rotary carriage and sliding tableon which it is mounted. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof, taken onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the adjustable chuck,hereinafter referred to. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of molded slabssuch as are produced by my invention, and Fig. 8 is a detail view of thestop-lug.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my improvements asapplied to a common form of molding-machine, and which comprises,generally, a base A, a bed-frame B, an upright O, a neck D, and anadjustable bracket E.

F indicates the main driving-shaft, journaled on the top of thesupporting-frame, which has at the outer end the usual fast and loosepulleys G G and at the inner end a bevel-pinion f, which meshes with apinion h on the cutter-head shaft H, which is held from longitudinalmovement in the bracket E, but has longitudinal movement in the bracketD, it having a spline h to receive the feather 011 the pinion h.

J and J indicate the adjusting devices for raising and lowering theadjustable bracket E.

K indicates the cutter-head, having cutters secured thereto in anywell-known manner.

The bed B has mounted thereon the sliding table L, which is adapted totraverse longitudinally of the bed by means of the screw L, and suchtable has ways 1*, upon which is mounted the sliding table L having theusual operating-screw Z by means of which it may be slid longitudinallyon the table L and transversely of the bed B. Y

The arrangement of the reversely-adjustable sliding tables is of theordinary construction and forms, per se, no part of my invention.

My invention relates, essentially, to the means for holding the slab,rotating the same partially or entirely in relation to the cutterhead,and in simple and easily-manipulated devices for holding such slab andadapting it to the. various manipulations, such as will hereinafterappear.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2, M indicates a rotary carrier,which is in the nature of a worm-gear. This gear M has a pendent shaftor gudgeon m, which is fitted into a hub N,proj ected down from the toptable L as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The wormgear or carriage M, which iscentrally mounted on the table L is held for either a partial rotarymovement or a complete rotation. Thus when a slab having a substantialor a full quadrant shape is to be cut the carriage M is adjusted torotate a quarter of a revolution, but when a slab of a full circularform is to be out then such carriage is adjusted to have a completerotation on its axis.

For adjusting the carriage M for the several movements stated I haveprovided the hub N with a segmental slot m, through which a lug n,secured to the stub-shaft m, projects,

and which forms the stop to limit the rota-- tion of the carriage M whenit is desired it should make but a partial rotation. This lug is,however, fixedly held to the shaft 'm and is made in sections having apivotal connection, the outer section n being adapted to close up andseat in an annular groove m in the hub m.

By providing an adjustable stop-lug of the character described it willbe readily seen that when the lug is turned out it will seat in the slotm and form a stop to limit the rotation of the carrier M, but whenfolded up it will be held out of engagement and permit an entirerotation of the carrier M.

The carrier M is provided with a series of radial slots 0, havingenlarged outer ends 0 to admit of the free passage of the heads pofscrew-bolts P I, which are adapted to pass up through elongated slots 9in the angleplate or chuck, formed of two members disposed at rightangles to each other.

The bolts P have their upper ends extended and threaded to receive thebinding-nuts g, which hold the chuck to their adjusted positions on thecarrier. The upper ends or extensions of the bolts P, it will be seen,pro- IO 1ject above the slab and form guides to receive theclamping-blocks S, and also to receive the clampingscrews T.

By providing the carrier M with a series of radial slots extendedentirely around the same and connecting a chuck therewith in the mannershown the slab can be readily held down on the table at any positiondesired, it being obvious that by simply loosening the nuts q the chuckcan be quickly set to the position desired, according to thesize of theslab to be out.

By extending the bolts P the useof special clamping devices for holdingthe slab is avoided.

Instead of providing a stop-lug at the hub of the carrier M the samemay. have a segmental slot U, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, toreceive a lug a, projected up from the table L In this form of stop-lugthe same would also be made either detachable or of a folding nature, soas to be set to admit of a complete rotation of the carrier whennecessary.

V indicates a worm on a hand-operated shaft V, which meshes with thecarrier or worm-wheel M. The manner in whiehmy invention operates isbest explained as follows:

The slab having the proper outline is laid and'clamped on carrier whenof a quadrant shape, it. being held by a single chuck, the angle portionfitting the chuck, while its curved portion is held coincident with theaxis of rotation of the carrier, so as to travel in proper relation tothe cutter-head.

If a slab of the shape shown in Fig. 5 is in position, the upper tableis adjusted to move the straight part 10 longitudinally to engage withthe cutters until the beginning of the curve is reached. The tables arethen held stationary and the carrier rotated until the end of the curvedpart is reached, when such carriage is stopped and the slab and tableagain moved in a straight line until the part 20 is molded.

In case a circular slab is on the carrier the tables are both heldimmovable and the stoplugs thrown out of position and the carrier movedin a complete circle, the slab being held on the carrier by any suitablemeans.

Among the advantages claimed for my invention is that a circular slabcan be molded, a quadrant slab quickly set and clamped in position, theeconomical and easily-manipulated means for clamping the slab onto thecarrier, and the simple manner in which the carrier can be set for apartial or complete rotation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a stone-molding machine the combination of a supporting-frame, thetransversely and longitudinally movable tables mounted one above theother on the supporting-frame, a hub depending from the upper table;cutting mechanism; a rotary carrier provided at its entire peripherywith teeth and having a depending stub-shaft arranged in said. hub,gearing meshing with the carrier to rotate the same a complete or apartial revolution, and a device mounted on the stub-shaft and arrangedto engage the hub, to limit the rotation of the carrier, substantiallyas described.

2. In a stone-moldin g machine, the combination of a supporting-frame,the transversely and longitudinally movable tables mounted one'above theother on the supporting-frame, a hub depending from the upper table andprovided with a vertical slot and a horizontal slot, cutting mechanism,a rotary carrier provided at its entire periphery with teethand having adepending stub-shaft arranged in said hub and provided with a recess, alug hinged to the stub-shaft, arranged in said slot to' limit therotation of the carrier and adapted to be swung into said recess topermit the carrier to make a complete revolution, and gearing meshingwith said teeth for rotating. the carrier, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of rotarycarrier provided at its periphery with teeth and having a series ofradial slots terminating short of its center and its periphery andhaving enlarged ends, an L-shaped clamp having slotted arms, boltspassing through the slots of the carrier and the clamp and having headsof a size to pass through the enlarged terminals of the slots of thecarrier, nuts q engaging the carrier and interposed between the same andthe clamp-block for engaging a stone, clamp-nuts for holding theclamp-blocks, and gearing engaging said teeth, substantially asdescribed.

GEORGE \V. .COFRAN.

\Vitnesses:

L. II. DAPPRICH, 0. LEE MULLEN.

IIO

